New Names Surface as Candidates to Replace Alex Trebek on ‘Jeopardy!’ — Including Another NBC News Fixture

Following reports last week that Sony Pictures TV is considering "Today" co-host Matt Lauer and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper as possible replacements for longtime "Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek when he retires, additional names have surfaced as contenders for the job.

"All four have had exploratory conversations with Sony TV, though the studio is not actively pursuing anyone at the moment," the piece reports.

"With the exception of Patrick, who has presented at the Super Bowl and during the Summer Olympics, ‘Jeopardy!’ would mark a step up in the ratings department for any of the candidates," the piece notes.

For example, the powerhouse syndicated game show was the No. 1 program last Thursday on any network in households in the country’s biggest market, New York, averaging a 10.0 household rating. "Today" drew less than a third of that, the story points out.

Sony TV is not expected to have serious discussions about selecting a new host until Trebek says he’s ready to step down. His current contract expires in 2016.